The WashU Bears are 4-0 on the season and averaging 46.5 points per game. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
WashU Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 5 – WashU Bears (4-0) at Illinois Wesleyan (1-3)
Date/Time – October 7, 2023 – 1 pm
Location – Tucci Stadium — Bloomington, IL
Broadcast – IWU Sports
Live Stats – IWU Sidearm Stats
Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer
BLOOMINGTON, IL — The Washington University football team will look to keep its unbeaten run to begin the 2023 season going on Saturday, when it travels north to play Illinois Wesleyan University in a CCIW league game at Tucci Stadium.
The Bears will come into Saturday’s contest with a 4-0 record, after trouncing North Park 41-7 last week. The Bears also narrowly missed earning a spot in the national Top 25 rankings. The No. 25 team, Berry University of Mount Berry, Ga., is 3-1 and received 39 points. The Bears had 22 points in the vote and would’ve been the No. 29 team.
Illinois Wesleyan heads into the weekend after earning its first win of the season, last weekend against Millikin University. The Titans are 1-3 on the season and 1-2 in the CCIW.
Saturday’s matchup will serve as Illinois Wesleyan’s Homecoming Game. The Titans are 37-20 all time on Homecoming, including wins in their last four Homecoming Games.
Players to Watch: WashU is led by QB Matt Rush. The grad student senior has 918 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes. The yard total is fourth best in the CCIW, while he leads the league in touchdowns and QB efficiency rating (198.9).
WR Collin Goldberg has 16 receptions and 356 yards, which is third-best. But he leads the league with six touchdown catches. TE Gabriek Sirek has 13 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns.
In the last two weeks, Goldberg set new school records for the longest touchdown catch (a 97-yarder two weeks ago against Carthage) and longest kickoff return for a touchdown (also a 97-yarder, last week against North Park).
The WashU defense features LB Salomon Desslines, who has 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, and a fumble recovery, and DBs Bradley Hamilton and Ryan Schmadtke, who both have 19 tackles on the year.
Up Next: WashU will be back home next week, with a matchup against Augustana College. The Vikings are 3-1 heading into this weekend, and are hosting their own Homecoming on Saturday against Millikin.
Next week’s game between WashU and Augustana at Francis Olympic Field is slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
2023 WashU Bears Football Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Away | Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington, Ill. |
| October 14, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Home | Augustana College | Francis Olympic Field |
| October 21, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Away | #1 North Central College | Naperville, Ill. |
| October 28, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Home | Elmhurst University | Francis Olympic Field |
| November 4, 2023 | 1 p.m. | Away | #13 Wheaton College | Wheaton, Ill. |
| November 11, 2023 | 12 p.m. | Home | Carroll University | Francis Olympic Field |